Air gauge



pril 28, 1953 H. B. VAN DORN 2636380 AIR GAUGE Filed Dec. 20, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Imventor HORACE B. VAN DORN (Ittomegs April 28, B. VAN DORN I AIR GAUGE Fi-led Dec.- 20, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I FIG. 7.

(Ittornegs Patented Apr. 28, 1953 AIR GAUGE Horace Bishop Van Burn, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The Fafnir Bearing Company, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 20, 1947, Serial N 0. 793,023

My invention relates to gaging. means for measuring and checking spherical, toroidal, spheroidal, and the like concave or convex surfaces. 1

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of the character indicated.

It is another object to provide an improved apparatus for checking the form and contourof a surface of the character indicated.

It is also an object to provide a device for rapidly checking the radius of a generally spherical surface.

It is a more specific object to provide improved means for checking raceways in the rings of antifriction bearings and for checking the spherical or spheroidal seating grooves-of the rings of self-aligning bearings.

It is a further object to provide an air-operated gage to meet the above objects.

It is, in general, an object to provide an improvedgage of the character indicated for rapidly checking with a high degree of accuracy the radius of a generally spherical surface, and the form and contour of such a surface, and for performing these operations with a minimum of 'wear and with a minimum of exacting attention of the individual charged with operating the device.

, Other objects and various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a partly schematic and partly sectional'ized view of a gaging device incorporating features of the invention, and shown in position to perform form checking of the race in the outer ring of a ball bearing;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the gaging element of Fig. 1, partly sectionalized in the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially in the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged right-end view of the gage part shown in Fig. 3; 4 I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the aging assembly of Fig. 1;

a Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectionalized view similar to Fig. 3 but'illustrating a form modified for contour checking;

Fig. 7 is a partly sectionalized side view of another gaging device illustrating featuresof the invention; I p

10 Claims. (Cl. 73-37-5) sure, as influenced by the constricting effect 2 Fig; 8 is an enlarged top view of element in the assembly of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a partly sectionalized view of stillanother gaging device, for gaging concave surfaces; and

Fig. 10 is partially sectionalized view of a gage embodying features of the invention, for checking convex surfaces of the character indicated.

Briefly stated, my invention'contempla'tes the use of novel air-gage means for the probing of spherical, spheroidal, and other generally spherical surfaces in order to check radius, form, and contour, as the case may be. In 'all forms to be described, I employ a gaging member having an internal air passage with a gage opening on one side of the member, and with supporting means on generally opposite sides of the opening to engage the surface to be measured and to position the opening'in close constricting relation with the surface to be measured.

the gagin If a knownflow of air or other pressure fluidv is directed through said opening (as when placinga known sample opposite the opening) prior to placing the gage against the surface tobe measured, then such latter placement may develop a diiferent'cons't'riction at the opening so as to change the pressure on one side of the opening, say in the air or other supply passage in the gage member. The resulting pressure or fiow'will be understood to be a function of the departure in curvature of the surface being measured (at the point where the gage is applied) from the curvature of the known sample.

In one of the forms to be described, the gage member is designed, to project into the raceway of an antifriction bearing ring, and resilient means carried with the member serve constant- "ly to align the opening with the surface to be measured. The resilient means may include fingers or feet projecting into the raceway at points symmetrically spaced circumferentially from the gage point, in such a way as to permit manual turning of the bearing ring with respect to the gage while visually checkingthe presof the raceway surface being checked.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 6 of the drawings,

my invention is shown in application to anairgage system adapted to the form and contour checking of the race I! in a ball-bearing ring 12, which isshown to be the outerbearing ring.

The gage may include a base member I3 with air at substantially constant pressure in a supply line [6, and the regulated pressure may be observed on an indicator, such as the Bourdon gage IT. For a purpose which will be clear, I provide a constricting orifice between the supply line l6 and the passage 14 in the gage block or base w; This orifice may be" fixed, but in the forfn shown it is adjustably variable and comprises a needle valve l8 having a knob l8 for manual adjustment. which may be a flow tube or a manometer or. a Bourdon gage l9 (as shown), is placed between the orifice or needle valve 18 and theg'age member IS.

The gage member 13 includes a gage-opening 20 in communication with the passage 14, and,

in the form shown, this opening 20 is provided in an insertable gage element 2|, which may" be tightly secured to the base member l3, as by sweating.- The inserted member 2'! is preferably of relatively hard" material, such as tungsten carbide, and the opening 20- maybe cast-in the formation of element 2L Passage I! may be drilled in base member I3, and the outer endis shownplugged at 22.

.IFhe surfaceof gage element H which faces the surface to be measured,- and' which is to be pierced by the gage opening 2 0,. preferably coniorms generally with the curvature of the surface to be measured supporting means in the form of feet 23-e-24 projecttointer'cept the surface l l to be measured and so as, therefore, relatively closelyto space thc-openingfl-with respect to surface H. Since the-feet 23 4i are preferably formed with the castingof element-2t as projecting edges, these edges which support-the surface-ll l to be measdredmay benched-stoned, orother'wise abraded toass'ure the desired proper position of opening 2'0;- with respect to the surface formed, the feet 23 24 will be understood to constitute-essentially point-support areas having minimum-areacontact with the surface being Inathe forin shown, that is for a gage to cliecle the form of race M, the curvature of the" gage" surface facing the race H at the gaging point is preferably spheroidal,-so as to provide arelatively close approach of the opening to the surface of the race H and, atthe same time; to provide ample areas forthe exhaust ofi-"aifi 'I-lius, iri a first plane includingthe axis of gage opening 20 and normal to the axis the bearing ring, the curved surfacefacing raceway l I I may be generally concentric with the raceway; and in a second plane including the axis oi the opening '20 and gen- 15', carried bythe gage member I3 and including fet 26-141 to engage the raceway H at-points symmetrically spaced circumferentially of the supporting reet- 23-44. The'sprin'g means. is showii'solde'red to the base'member #3, as at 28, and also: to the feet 2km, as at 29. The feet Is -21 may be bane of a size preferably slightly larger than intended normally to run in" the raceway I andtlie centers or these bans 26 -41- Another indicator,

In the form shown,

H thus a 3 at the gage opening 24 the resilient means 25 will be understood to be effective to retain this seated relationship. Depending upon the curvature oftlie" raceway I], there will be more or less constriction of passage or opening 2!], with the development of more or less pressure in the supply line, as indicated by the Bourdon gage l9. When the bearing ring 12 is manually rotated with respect to the gage 3, with the resilient means 25 constantly maintaining the described seating. relation, any form deviations may be noted as pressure fluctuations on thedialfl of the gage l-9.- After completing a revolution, the ring [2 may be removed and another ring inserted forthe same check. It will be understood that the described oporation may be performed in very short order and that, if desired, the hand knob [8' of the needle valve may be adjusted to produce a z'e'ro reading on; gage I9 when; a test surface H of known curvature is seated opposite the opening Ell. In such case, the gage 19 may be direct reading in terms of magnitude of deviations in form from the known correct curvature, as will be clear. i- 4 i In thepreferred formshown, the supporting corners 2324 are in substantially a common plane with the axis ofopening 20, and this plane may also include thecentralaxis of the bearing ring H under observation, Withthisarrangement, it will beappreciated that pitch-diameter variations existing in a normal plane (i. e. normal' to'the central axis of the bearing ring HS may be of negligible moment and are relatively unlikely toafieet the race-radius readings, which are observed on the indicator l9. It will further be'uappreciatedthat this construction may be applicable, without further adaptation, to the race-radius checking of a number ofbearingring sizes, if these bearing rings utilize balls of the'samesize. v

In order to make contour measurements on a racegroove-such as the raceway ii of outer bearing ring- !2, I may employ a gage element 2| similar to the element-2i which has been described The gage element 21' differs, however, inthat its gage opening 28. is offset from the central radial plane of the raceway 1. It

will be clear that-the bearing. ring 52 may be rotated around the gageelement 2i, and the pressure readings on cliameterild noted inthe manner described for gage element 2!. These pressure readings will be indicative oicontour to one side of the central radial plane of the raceway H, If the ring i2 is then removed and reversiblyinserted upon the gage element 2P", a second rotation of the ringl2 may provide a check of contour on the other side of the'ceritral radiaipiane of" the raceway H A f In Figs, 7 and 8, I show a modified rem-sf tee invention for particular application "to checking a; concave spherical radius, 'as may be formed in the seat 38 of the seat ring or outer ring'3-l of a self-aligning antifrictiori bearing: "As ni't'he case of the first described gage'athe gage rmg.

7 may employ a base or a block 32 having ai i i14 't'ernal air-supply passage 33 communicating with a gage opening 34 in a gage element 35, which is preferably detachably secured as by threaded means 3636' to the base member 32,. The gage element 35 may include supporting means 3|38 on generally opposite sides of the opening 34 for properly closely spacing the opening 34 with respect to the surface 35 to be gaged.

In the form shown, the opening 35 is formed in a projecting part 39 of the gage element 35, and

the outer projecting surface thereof is preferably in general conformity with the surface 30 to 'be gaged.

The gage element 35 may, like the gage element 2|, be formed as a casting of relatively hard material; in the form shown, however, the supporting portions,3|-38 are mere inserts of relatively hard material, set, as by sweating, into a gage element 35 of more readily machinable material. In Fig. 8 the top of gage element 35 will be seen preferably to be of generally triangular shape so as to provide, at the corners 494|42, hardened points of support for properly spacing the opening 33 with respect to the seat surface 30 to be gaged. Again, the corners 40-4i--42 may be honed, stoned, or other- 'wise abraded, as need be. The span from corher 40 to the edge ti-3'2 is preferably substantially greater than the distance between corners 4| i2, in order that variations in great-circle radius (i. e. variations in radius of the spherical surface 3|! under observation) between corners 4|- -42 may not appreciably affect the measurements being taken on the radius of the great circles spanned by corner 43 and edge i|52.

In order properly to hold the member or piece 3| having the surface 30 to be gaged, I employ in the form shown an adjustable bracket means 43' including an arm 43 pivoted at 35 and resiliently urged as by a spring 45 in a clockwise sense '(in the sense of Fig. 7) to press the finger 4'! against the seat ring 3|. The finger i! may be adjustably positioned as by means of the set screw 48 along the arm 84, depending upon the size of ring 3| to be tested and also upon the gage element 35 employed, and the adjustment is preferably such that the thrust of finger 41 is in general alignment with the discharge axis of opening 34. A screw 49 in the bracket 43 may serve to limit such clockwise rotation of the arm 7 44 as to force finger 41 into damaging contact with the gage opening 34 when the set ring 3| is removed, as will be clear.

' In use, the gage of Figs. 7 and 8 may very readily accommodate a ring, such as the seat ring 5 3|, by simply depressing the handle end 5!] of arm 44 so as to raise the finger 61. When the ring 3| is seated on element 35 at points 43-4!- 42, the opening 34 will be properly spaced with respect to the surface to be gaged, and the handle 50 may be released to permit a resilient clamping. It will be clear that if the surface 33 is as purely spherical as it is intended to be, then it will be possible to rotate the ring 3| with respect to thegage element 35 not only about the axis of the ring 3| but into any position in which all three points t|i-4!'--t2 are in contact with the surface 30 and, of course, in all these positions there should be no deviation of pressure indicated on the dial of the pressure gage','which may be the pressure gage i5. With proper adjustment of the needle valve I3, the gage |9 may read zero for a correct spherical radius of the sur- "face 30 and any deviations from this radius, as

in the caseof an ellipsoidal or partially ellipsoidal surface, may then be direct reading on the gage |9.

In Fig. 9, I show another type of gage element 52 adaptable to the checking of another concave spherical surface 53, which may be the seat of a socket member 54 to be assembled later into a ball-and-socket joint. The gage element 52 is shown to comprise an air-supply pipe or duct 55 communicating with a gage opening 56, which may be on the axis of the element 52. If the element 52 is cylindrical as shown, then the entire lower circumferential rim thereof may be used as the supporting means for properly spacing the opening 53 from the surface 53 to be gaged. The opening 53 is preferably relatively closely spaced from the surface 53 and is shown formed in a projection 51 insertably carried by the lower end of the gage element 52. An exhaust passage 58 may be drilled in the gage element 52 and is preferably of a cross-sectional area greater than the maximum anticipated constriction to be developed between the gage opening 53 and the surface 53. It will be clear that the gage element 53 may be swung into a variety of positions, as indicated by the dotted outline 59, so that the important part of the spherical joint surface 53 may be tested for sphericity, while departures from a true spherical surface may again be noted on a suitable gage, such as the Bourdon gage |9.

In Fig. 10, I show still another form of the invention for particular application to the testing of convex surfaces of generally circular section. In the form shown, the surface to be tested is on the inside of a ring and is of a section radius R, all about an axis 69. As in the previously described forms of the invention, a gage element 3| may be. employed with supporting members or feet 52-63 to space a gage opening 64 closely with respect to the surface 69 to be gaged. The opening 54 is shown formed in a projecting plug 55 inserted into the end of gage element 6| and in communication with an air-supply line, such as the pipe 63. For convenience in handling, the pipe 65 is preferably flexible, and handle 61 may be employed for manipulating the gage element 5|. If the axis 63 of the gage opening 64 is maintained at a given angle with respect to the axis 63 of the ring 65 while the ring is rotated, it will be clear that observed pressure fluctuations,

as indicated on the Bourdon gage I9, may detect departures of form. Contour checks may be made by manipulation of the handle 61 so as to change angularity between axes 68 39.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be under;- stood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a gaging device of the character indicated, a gage member having an internal airsupply passage with a gage openingon one side thereof, said opening having a blast axis directed away from said member, support means including two essentially point-support areas angularly spaced about the blast axis of said gage opening for abutting a curved surface to be gaged and for positioning said opening in spaced relation with said surface, said areas being axially behind the discharge end of said opening in the sense, of

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bellard July 1, 1919 Number Number 10 Number Name Date Beard July 1'7, 1923 Stein Feb. 16, 1932 Rupley Dec. 29, 1942 Aller Feb. 27, 1945 Douglass Aug. 23, 1949 Rupley Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Oct. 1, 1942 

